Empathic Corpse Dissection

In the secret chamber of Empathic Corpse Dissection.

Lin Yi watched the few precious materials laid out before him in silence.

Five stalks of Blood-Burning Grass and ten Vermilion Fruits. These alone were worth nearly one hundred and fifty taels of silver.

This guy really had a solid foundation, Lin Yi muttered to himself. He withdrew his gaze and looked back at the text floating in the void.

[Jade Cicada Cocoon: Inherited from the maternal Destiny "Molting Jade Cicada". Once fullness is reached, one may break the cocoon to awaken one's own Destiny.]

[Jade Cicada Cocoon fullness: 95%]

"Just a little more to go." He did not hesitate, reaching out to pick up a Vermilion Fruit and popping it into his mouth. At the same time, he focused his mind, and the Destiny Talisman Coin transformed into an invisible force that began to circulate.

--Strong Luck, activate.

Under the blessing of Strong Luck, Lin Yi felt his entire body enveloped in a warm, vital energy; even the circulation of True Qi within him accelerated.

Strong Luck not only boosted one's Aura of Fortune but also increased cultivation speed and the efficiency of refining precious materials. It could be called quite versatile.

The moment the Vermilion Fruit entered his stomach, a massive surge of natural True Qi bloomed within him like a ball of fire exploding from his dantian. It stirred his blood and energy, transforming into warm power that poured into his limbs and bones.

Lin Yi closed his eyes and focused, letting that power wash over his meridians, filling in the final sliver of deficiency in the Jade Cicada Cocoon bit by bit.

[Jade Cicada Cocoon fullness increased...]

Time slipped away quietly.

On the candle stand in the secret passage, the flame burned down to its last wick, and the room plunged into silent darkness, save for the faint, steady sound of long, rhythmic breathing.

It wasn't until the cry of a nightingale pierced through the stone walls that Lin Yi snapped his eyes open.

His gaze lit up in the quiet darkness, deep and captivating.

[Jade Cicada Cocoon fullness: 100%]

[Awakened Destiny--Empathic Corpse Dissection]

[Empathic Corpse Dissection]

[Effect: Empathize with corpses, dissect corpses to conceal aura, bind souls]

As the information regarding the awakened Destiny flooded his mind, Lin Yi raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Empathize with corpses, dissect corpses to conceal aura, bind souls..." He chewed on these twelve words in a low voice, then grew thoughtful. "Is it because my path into Qi is the Corpse Puppet Path that the Destiny I awakened is related to corpses?"

He did not dwell on this question for long, instead slowly extending his palm.

In the center of his palm, a chain flickering with a purple-black, ghostly light emerged silently.

The chain was entirely dark, as if forged from a substance existing between reality and illusion. It radiated a heart-stopping aura in the darkness. As the links swayed gently, one could faintly hear the subtle sound of chains clashing, yet it did not seem to come from the physical world, but rather echoed from the depths of the soul.

"Bind souls."

Lin Yi clearly felt the chain's natural power to restrain souls.

"Well, I've accidentally become the bane of the Soul Path," he chuckled, toying with the chain in his hand.

The Soul Path was also a profound method of cultivation, focusing on absorbing the souls of all things to nourish oneself.

Compared to the Corpse Puppet Path Lin Yi practiced—which was universally reviled and hunted by the righteous—the reputation of the Soul Path was neither good nor bad; it was both righteous and evil.

"But if this Soul-Binding Chain is used well, it could be a great lethal weapon." Lin Yi retracted the chain and turned his gaze to the corner of the secret chamber. "As for empathizing with corpses..."

He stood up and walked toward the shadows, where a coffin sat quietly.

Cultivators of the Corpse Puppet Path dealt with corpses year-round, and this type of coffin was a common Treasure Artifact in their trade.

It was inscribed with specialized restrictions that could keep a corpse from decaying for a long time.

It wasn't expensive; essentially, any Corpse Puppet Path cultivator could craft one themselves.

Lin Yi pushed open the lid, and a thick, bloody stench rushed toward him.

Lying in the coffin was none other than Hu Ma, who had been slain earlier.

His head and body had already been stitched back together, though the gruesome seam around his neck remained clearly visible, the flesh rolled back and the blood dried into dark brown scabs.

"Empathize with corpses..." Lin Yi extended his palm again. The Soul-Binding Chain in his palm seemed to sense its prey; almost instinctively, it lunged forward, and a ghostly light pierced into Hu Ma's head.

In an instant, Lin Yi's body jolted violently.

A massive amount of information poured into his mind like a bursting flood.

Scenes, realizations, and cultivation techniques unfolded in his consciousness as if he were experiencing them firsthand.

[Mastered Martial Way Qi-entry technique--Long Rainbow Technique, can be cultivated to perfection directly]

[Mastered Martial Way 7th-grade technique--Elixir Release Scripture, can be cultivated to Martial Way 8th-grade]

[Mastered martial skill--Reckless Blade, can be cultivated to Great Success]

[...]

Everything Hu Ma had practiced during his life.

Techniques, martial skills, cultivation insights, and even the subtle nuances of exerting force were poured into Lin Yi's mind all at once, as if someone else's entire lifetime of martial accumulation had been forcibly shoved inside him.

Lin Yi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with shock.

"So this is what it means to empathize with a corpse..."

A single instance of empathy was worth years of bitter cultivation for others. If he had enough corpse material to draw from, his cultivation speed would likely reach a terrifying level.

He looked down at Hu Ma in the coffin and couldn't help but sigh.

"Dying was at least a way to make the most of your remains."

"It's just that this technique seems to be a Martial Way technique from the Rainbow Martial Hall..."